With Damien boys basketball coach Matt Dunn leaving for St. John Bosco and the Trinity League, the Spartans have a new opening at a place that just won a Division 3 state championship and a 2013 divisional crown. With a state of the art facility and one of the best student crowds in the section factored with coaching in the attractive city of La Verne, this becomes one of the hottest openings in the Southland. So who’s next?
Could it be Damien assistant Greg Eckler, who had years of success at Bonita before losing his job over a player wrestling incident? If Damien can look past it, Eckler’s resume speaks for itself and a year on staff should help his case.
How about this wild card, former Bishop Amat girls coach Richard Wiard? Wiard won multiple CIF and state girls tiles before a falling out with Amat last year. Factor in that Damien’s principal is Dr. Merritt Hemenway, who is really close with Wiard during a time when Hemingway was the principal at Amat. Hemingway hired an Amat guy to take over football in Mark Paredes, so this might not be that far-fetched.
Could this be a position that finally wrestles away Glendora’s Mike LeDuc for a return to Damien where he started? Chances are slim, but don’t ever close that door. Or how about former Muir coach Don Grant who was at Chino Hills before bringing on Steve Baik as an assistant, and then turning the position over to Baik. Grant agreed to be Baik’s assistant, but left this past year. He’s someone who would be a great fit given the opportunity. It’s a huge hire for Damien, especially considering area private’s like Maranatha spent big money to lure Pasadena’s Tim Tucker to the school. Also down the 210 freeway, La Salle wrestled Mike Lynch away from Price. Since the Dunn to Bosco story broke, a coach who won a state championship on the East Coast already hit me up on twitter asking about Damien and said he would apply. So, expect the unexpected and for all the rumors to be out there.